Chainmale Rehearsal Room - and we're nearly there

14.04.15

The Five Properties of Chainmale company share with us the final week of their rehearsals before hitting the stage on 15 April.

At the time of writing we have about one and a half weeks left of rehearsal. Costumes and parts of the set are now in the rehearsal room, and the negotiation of new elements has slowed the process and made simple logistics become more prominent. Blocking for The Stables is a challenge, and blocking for the thematic elements of the piece along with that challenge is keeping me awake at night. The actors are becoming highly active collaborators and I sometimes forget that it’s up to me to make the final decisions. I can get so consumed by the investigative process of collaboration that I have to push myself into making a decision simply so we can move on. There is a delicious balance between what looks good, what serves the text and performance, and what allows the audience to see what is happening.

The team during rehearsals

All told, it’s a very fulfilling way to lose sleep.

Nicholas Hope, director and writer

Five Properties of Chainmale plays 15 April – 9 May. Book tickets here.